Mud Bath: The detox therapy

Until rather recently, many European practitioners promoted mud baths as a treatment for arthritis. This back to the basics, relatively simplest of alternative therapies, tends to help relax muscles, soothe aches, improve blood circulation, and smoothen the skin.

With today’s emerging trends mud baths are often recommended to help reduce stress and leave us feel rejuvenated at the end of the session.

Skin and Detoxification
Conscious detoxing is a great way to achieve optimum health. The best ways to detox is through the skin. Detoxification is one of the most effective methods to eliminate toxic substances that build up throughout our system. The toxins present in the environment constantly attack the body. These toxins get accumulated in the body’s fat layers. Accumulation of toxins in the body cause harm to the biological processes. Hence, it becomes essential to remove the toxins regularly from the body otherwise; a high toxin load may cause skin problem, frequent or recurring colds, chronic pains, low energy levels, allergies and other illness. The skin is the largest breathing human organ. Keeping the skin healthy promotes general health and well being. Taking a hot bath or sauna promotes sweating that flushes the toxins away from the body. Mud baths draw out the toxins and impurities from the body, exfoliating and nourishing the skin.

Mud and Clay
Mud is an element of the earth that is said to possess therapeutic properties. It is made of a combination of soil, silt, clay, and water. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and plant substance. Scholars believe that it was the Romans who discovered the therapy of Mud baths as early as 120 B.C. Today we know that Mud, helps to draw out excess heat and cool the body. Its property of water solubility allows the skin to absorb nourishing nutrients when applied. One of the additional benefits with mud is that due to its nature other ingredients can be added to the mixture to further boost treatment results. Clay like mud comes from the earth. However, due to its composition nature it has a tendency to soak up or dry, hence it is used in cosmetic products as a drying agent. It is a component found in many cosmetic products like foundation and powders. Clay has the ability to remove matter suspended in liquid, as its natural property is oil balancing. Thus, clay helps to assist the body in the systemic removal of many industrial chemicals that the body would otherwise have difficulty eliminating.

Types of Mud Across the World
Mud is used as a healing agent for cracks, bites, burns, and other skin afflictions. Pure mud helps to de-toxify, remineralise and is anti-inflammatory. Every region on earth, according to its geographic and climatic conditions produces mud that is unique in its mineral and biological content. Depending upon the region, where the mud is obtained it may contain high concentrations of iron, manganese, zinc, copper or selenium. This can be used to treat various ailments, when used in a variety of combination.

Dead Sea Mud: Jordan Rift Valley
Moor Mud: Around Europe
Volcanic Mud Bath: Calistoga (California)
Great Salt Lake Mud: Body Wrap
Hungarian Wellness Mud
Clay Baths
Ischia Mud: Italy
Bad Wilsnack: Germany
Ayurvedic Mud Bath: India
Multani Mitti : India